


The Future Starts Slow

by airs_of_madness



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV), wayhaught - Fandom
Genre: F/F, Historical References, Nicole - Freeform, Some angst, Time Travel, True Love, Waverly, Wayhaught - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 16:22:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13127379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/airs_of_madness/pseuds/airs_of_madness
Summary: Waverly and Nicole's relationship is still tense after the DNA fiasco. In an attempt to discuss things, Nicole walks into something unexpected. One upset, one confused, the pair is now stuck together in another time and other place as Waverly tries to fix the future of the Earps.





	The Future Starts Slow

**Author's Note:**

> An explanation - So this story was originally written as a submission for the ClexaCon Fan Fiction competition. It was rejected. I don't know if that speaks to the quality of the story/plot, but you, dear reader, can decide that for yourself. It was originally much more drawn out and detailed. However, due to word count limitations, much was trimmed and adjusted to comply with their guidelines. I had considered working on it more, but I have another WayHaught story that I'm more interested in developing so I decided to post as is.
> 
> Fun Fact #1 - Per the guidelines of the competition, one could not use actual names/places/etc. referring to any television show/movie/comic/etc. In my original submission, Waverly was named Skye and Nicole was Morgan. During a con panel (Dragon Con maybe? I can't recall), they were asked what superpower they would have. Dominique said flying, Kat said something about swimming (while different sources give different answers, Morgan is related to the sea).
> 
> Fun Fact #2 - While it may not be evident in the story itself - especially since I was restricted with word count - days upon days of research actually went into this. I had to alter a bit for things to work properly so if there are any history/locomotive/aviation buffs reading this - I ask your forgiveness in advance.
> 
> Fun Fact #3 - The majority of the story does not actually warrant a "Mature" rating. However, there is one small bit that does so I figured I'd just throw that in there in case.
> 
> Fun Fact#4 - Obviously I do not own the characters or anything related to Wynonna Earp. So, you know, don't sue me.
> 
> Fun Fact #5 - I'm shutting up now. Please proceed to the story if you're inclined to do so at this point.
> 
> Please feel free to comment!

Nicole stepped cautiously onto the porch of her affronted lover's house. Despite her many attempts, they had not spoken since Waverly found the envelope with her DNA results opened within Nicole's purse. Almost two weeks had now passed, and while Nicole wanted to give her space, the bitter silence between them was deafening, drowning out all other thoughts. She knew she had to at least try to make things right. She breathed in deeply before her fist rapped on the front door. There was no reply. She waited a minute before knocking again. Nothing. Had it been anyone else's home she'd pack up her sense of defeat and leave, but the women who lived here were anything but normal, as were the situations they often found themselves embroiled in. Worried, she turned the doorknob only to find that the door was unlocked. She instinctively readied her hand on the gun at her hip as she crossed the threshold. “Waverly? Baby, I knocked but there was no answer. I know you're angry but we really need to talk,” she explained to no one as she walked slowly through the house. “Also, you really need to start locking your...door.” Nicole paused at the entrance to the kitchen, a baffled look painted on her face. “Why do you look like a character from _The Great Gatsby_?”

Waverly donned a flouncy blue shift dress with a cream wrap coat and matching cloche hat. A woman who looked suspiciously like the dead blacksmith from the edge of town stood beside her, eyes closed and speaking in a foreign language. “Nicole! When I said I didn't want to talk to you, I meant it!” Waverly shouted angrily at her perplexed girlfriend. The other woman continued her recital as if she were the only person in the room. Waverly grabbed Nicole's forearm, “You need to leave. Now!”

“ _A_ _múltba a jövő megváltására_ ,” the mysterious woman muttered. A blinding flash of light swallowed the room.

Nicole rubbed her eyes as they readjusted. She gazed in awe at her surroundings. Old Model-T's glided passed on the street before them. Men and women looking like they jumped out of a Fitzgerald or Steinbeck novel wove between them on the sidewalk. She turned to find a grandiose Chinese pogoda-style building looming behind them, and a sign off in the distance that read _Hollywoodland_. Nicole, stunned, faced Waverly. “Waves, what have you done?”

 

***

 

“God, I cannot believe I'm stuck here with you!” Waverly huffed, walking briskly away from her unwanted companion.

“Hey, it's not like I wanted to time travel to 1920's Hollywood. What the hell is going on?” Nicole called after Waverly, who had now put a couple of buildings between them. She jogged after her. “Hey! Hey, will you stop for a second?” the tall redhead, still in uniform and very much out of place, grabbed the strap of Waverly's purse. It felt weighted. “Jesus, Waverly, what do you have in there?”

The shorter woman halted abruptly and spun around, yanking her purse back. “Look, we'll talk later. I have to go to the bank before I can get this going,” she stated before continuing on her way.

“The bank,” Nicole scoffed, “of course you have this all planned out.”Nicole kept up with Waverly's swift pace and soon they were standing in front of a statuesque Art Deco building.

Waverly attempted to enter but the door was locked. “Oh, balls! I forgot it’s New Year’s Day. First thing tomorrow then.”

“Baby, why exactly do you need to go to the bank?”

“Oh, no. You do not get to call me that right now,” Waverly scolded and pulled apart the opening of her bag.

Nicole peeked in and slowly raised her eyes to the brunette. “Seriously?” she whispered.

“It's not like I can just use money from our time,” Waverly hissed.

“It looks like you robbed a pirate! How much gold do you have in there?” the young deputy questioned, continuing their conversation in a hushed tone.

“Enough.” Waverly averted her eyes with her vague answer. Nicole raised her eyebrows, still looking at her intently. “Ten 10 ounce bars.”

“One hundred ounces of pure gold? That's worth like a hundred and thirty thousand dollars in our time! That's over half of what your aunt gave you from the bar sale. This is insane, Waverly!”

“I'll tell you what's insane, Nicole. The fact that you hid my DNA results from me. That you think you can control my life. This is my money. I can do whatever I want with it!” Waverly shouted the last sentence at the upset officer before pushing past her. “I'm going to the hotel. You can come if you want. Or don't. I don't care,” Waverly called out, the irritability in her voice sending little jolts of unease through Nicole who followed quietly. Though she didn't know what Waverly was up to, she had to admit the girl did know what she was doing when it came to her research. A short walk from the bank and they were already at the hotel Waverly had mentioned so nonchalantly – The Roosevelt Hotel.

 

***

 

“This totally hasn’t happened yet, but this is the suite Clark Gable and Carole Lombard used for their romantic trysts,” Waverly exclaimed as the two explored the luxurious three-story penthouse, the only room available. “You can have your own floor,” she sourly informed Nicole as they regrouped in the kitchen.

“Fine,” Nicole sighed. “Look, Waves, I know you’re angry. And I am so so sorry about…”

“Can we not? I’m just not there yet.”

Nicole held up her hands in surrender. “Of course. You still have to tell me what exactly is going on, though. I know you Earp girls get yourselves into weird shit all the time, but this is by far the weirdest.” The redhead removed her duty belt and placed it on the counter before settling onto a bar stool, awaiting Waverly’s explanation.

“Alright, so that woman you saw speaking in Hungarian? That’s the blacksmith’s sister, also a witch, obviously. I made a deal with her to…”

“What kind of deal?” Nicole interrupted.

“Don’t worry about it!” Waverly snapped. The other woman inhaled deeply and rubbed her temple with one hand. “Anyway, I made a deal to perform a ritual to send me back in time because in my continuing research I’ve discovered that there was another heir before Josiah. Wyatt was known to have affairs, and there were always rumors of illegitimate children but never anything concrete. Well, I found an old journal where the author, Arthur Monroe - who lived his whole life in Pergatory - wrote about how his mother, Margaret, finally confessed to him that he was Wyatt’s son. I was able to trace it back and, sure enough, Margaret was from California and was in the same area as Wyatt during the estimated time of conception.” Waverly paused to gauge Nicole’s reaction. She could see the apprehension in her eyes. “At this point, Arthur is already of age. So, I’m here to get Wyatt’s gun and take it back to Pergatory to convince this guy that he’s cursed and has to start killing demons. Oh, and this all has to be done before the morning of January 13th.”

“What happens on January 13th?”

“Wyatt dies and the demons are unleashed and we’re sent back to the present,” Waverly replied matter of factly.

“Wow, Waves. This is a lot to process. How are you so sure Wyatt is just going to give you his gun? Or that you’ll even be able to see him at all?”

“I’m not, but that’s what the money’s for. I’ll be posing as a curator for the Smithsonian,” Waverly said, a slight quiver in her voice as the uncertainty of the whole plan hit her.

“And what if he doesn’t sell it? What if you can’t get to Pergatory in time? What if this spell, or whatever, is faulty and we don’t go back to the present at all? What if Arthur doesn’t agree? What does it even matter if he does?” Nicole pushed herself off the stool and began pacing worriedly.

“What does it matter?” Waverly repeated slowly, each word dripping with animosity. “Christ, Nicole, I can’t believe you. I know there are a lot of things that could go wrong with this. I’m not stupid.”

“I never said you were,” Nicole whispered bashfully, as she never intended that to be the sentiment.

“There are a lot of what if’s with this whole thing. But what if Arthur can break the curse? I read that he wanted to be a lawman even before he knew Wyatt was his father. His mother wouldn’t let him - resentment and all that - so he worked the farm, but he was...is smart and a good shot. He has the intuition, I just know it. And with the research I’ve compiled for him he’ll have a head start. So yeah, there’s a million reasons why this won’t work, but all I need is one to make things right. To save my father and my sisters. Maybe things could be different. Better. I have to at least try.”

Nicole was drowning in the waves of aspiration and anxiety rolling off of Waverly. She could see how desperate her poor girlfriend was to change things. She gave a reluctant nod, a sign of her cooperation. But despite her accordance, a sick feeling brewed in the pit of her stomach as she silently wondered just how much Waverly wanted to alter about her life.

 

***

 

Nicole awoke to an empty bed and bright rays of sunshine forcing their way through the slits in the elegant drapes. It took her brain a few minutes to process where she was...when she was. She stretched and opened the curtains, the eager California sun illuminating the room. It was then that she spotted a note that had been slipped under the door.

 

_The costume party excuse isn’t going to fly anymore._

_I picked up some clothes for you on my way back_

_from the bank. I’m leaving at 10 A.M. if you decide_

_you want to go with me to Wyatt’s._

 

_Waverly_

 

Nicole could see where it originally said _Love, Waverly_ but had been scratched out. She smiled to herself, hoping that maybe Waverly was getting closer to forgiving her.

There was a paper bag waiting for her when she opened the door. In it were a pair of gray pants and matching vest, a white button up blouse, and a pair of cream and brown wingtip Oxfords. A light brown plaid wool blazer was draped over a nearby chair. She checked her watch - 10:28. “Shit,” she muttered, grabbing the bag.

Nicole was dressed in ten minutes. She ran down the stairs to the first floor of the suite. “Waves! Waverly, are you still here?” she called out frantically.

Waverly was sitting calmly at the dining table sipping on her coffee. “Yeah, I told you ten.” She smiled sweetly upon seeing Nicole. “You look really nice.” Nicole beamed at her girlfriend’s remark, her dimples complementing the happiness in her big brown eyes.

“It’s almost 10:40, though.”

“We’re in a different time zone, silly. We’re an hour behind. Coffee?” Waverly was already pouring a cup for the dapper deputy. Nicole was pleasantly surprised by Waverly’s amiable demeanor, but the thin sweet veil was not enough to hide the tension that still lingered between them.

 

***

 

Waverly knocked on the door of the Earp’s quaint apartment several times with no response. “Maybe they’re not here?” Nicole suggested.

“Oh, someone’s here. I can hear footsteps,” Waverly replied with certainty. Just then an older Jewish woman peeked through the curtain. Waverly smiled and waved. The locks on the door clicked and it opened halfway.

“Yes?” the woman answered.

“Hello, are you Josephine Earp?” Waverly asked.

“What do you want?”

“Mrs. Earp, we’re from the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. We’re curating items for our new Wild West exhibit and we were wondering if we could speak with Mr. Earp about it.”

“He’s ill and not receiving visitors at this time,” Josephine stated, a scowl on her face.

“We’re willing to pay top dollar.”

With that said the older woman’s expression changed. She cocked an eyebrow and opened the door completely. “Oh, well, I suppose he may be well enough to speak with you for a few minutes. Come in.” Her tone changed and she gave them a shrewd smile. Nicole and Waverly entered and introduced themselves before being led to a bedroom where a moribund Wyatt Earp, mustached and steely eyed, lay in bed. “Wyatt, these young ladies are from the Smithsonian Museum. They wanted to talk to you about purchasing some items for their new exhibit,” Josephine said. Wyatt merely nodded in response. As Waverly and Nicole stood in the doorway, Nicole noticed tears forming in her partner’s eyes. She discreetly took the shorter woman’s hand in her own and squeezed it gently. Waverly looked to her with a weak smile. “Come on, you two,” Josephine interrupted, ushering them to the side of the bed. With her arms crossed, she resumed her spot on the other side to oversee.

“Sadie, a minute,” the sickly man muttered, coughing slightly. Josephine frowned but obliged, leaving the room for the trio to discuss business. “What can I do you for?”

Waverly cleared her throat. “Mr. Earp, it’s such an honor to meet you. We wanted to ask about one item in particular. Your gun, a Colt Buntline Special. We would very much like to purchase it from you for our exhibit.”

The old man coughed and shook his head. “No,” he barked, “it’s not for sale. I have other guns if you’re interested. Knick knacks, clothing, pictures. But not that.”

“We were really hoping to make it the centerpiece and are willing to pay…”

“I said no! If that’s all you came here for, ladies, I believe we’re done here.” He glared at them, his eyes piercing as ever despite the withered home where they resided. “Sadie! Please see these young ladies out!”

Nicole was mildly relieved by the outcome of their abbreviated meeting, but she also knew that Waverly Earp was no quitter. The feeling quickly faded as she began to wonder what else her cunning girlfriend had up her sleeve. “Mr. Earp,” Waverly broke the silence. “Do you know a Margaret Monroe?”

Wyatt’s tight expression softened for a minute as a look of both fondness and grief swept across his gaunt face. The hush hung in the room before he finally answered. “No, that name doesn’t sound familiar.” He coughed again then turned his head to gaze out the window. Nicole turned to Waverly, relieved to see a faint grin on her face. Josephine returned, leading the women out and closing the door behind them.

“How much are you willing to pay for that gun?” Mrs. Earp inquired once they were far enough away from Wyatt’s room.

“I’m afraid money doesn’t matter now. He refused our offer,” Waverly replied.

“Well, he may have, but you haven’t tried me yet.” Josephine removed a cloth-wrapped item from her housecoat pocket - Peacemaker. “He’d never know it was gone. So, what’s your offer?”

“One hundred dollars,” Waverly answered. She felt slightly guilty for taking the low road. _Whatever it takes_ , she thought to herself.

“Ha! That’s a weak offer, little girl,” the old woman scoffed. Josephine knew very well it was a fairly substantial offer, but she could never pass up an opportunity for more.

“How about we play for it, then? I find a game is sometimes more enticing than the boring negotiations. Do you like poker, Mrs. Earp?” This definitely got Josephine’s attention.

“I enjoy a card game every now and then,” she lied. “What are the terms?”

“If I win, we get the gun and you still get your money. If I lose, you keep the gun and the money, and I’ll throw in an extra fifty for your trouble.”

“You’ve got yourself a deal, little girl. I’ll get the cards,” Josephine agreed with a smirk.

“What the hell, Waverly?” Nicole whispered once Mrs. Earp disappeared.

“Nicole, don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.”

 

***

 

Wyatt’s Buntline rested on the dining room table. “Wow, baby, I’m impressed,” Nicole remarked, leaning back in her chair.

“Josephine’s a gambler. I knew she couldn’t say no, especially if she got something out of it regardless of who won. And it didn’t hurt that Doc gave me some tips,” she beamed. Nicole was proud of her girlfriend, and happy to see her succeed, but as the plan progressed her worry grew. Every step was a step closer to possibly losing the love of her life. Unbeknownst to the redhead, her face was spelling out her distress.

“What’s wrong?”

“What? Nothing,” Nicole stammered, adjusting her position. “I’m so proud of you. You’re amazing.”

“Something’s wrong, I can see it in your eyes,” Waverly pressed, ignoring the praise.

“Waverly,” Nicole sighed, “I get what you’re doing, and you’re so brave for taking this on, but this could change everything.”

“I know. That’s why I’m doing it.”

“No, Waverly, I mean really change things,” Nicole stressed with a furrowed brow.

“What are you getting at?” the brunette questioned defensively.

“Have you read _A Sound of Thunder_? Have you thought about the repercussions of changing the past?”

“Here we go,” Waverly rolled her eyes.

“No, listen, everything could be different! Like, massively different! The possibilities are infinite. What if there’s no Pergatory to go back to? Or we never meet? Or you…” her voice cracked, “or you don’t exist?”

“I don’t care if I don’t exist. And right now, I’m wishing we had never met, you selfish control freak!” Waverly hissed. “You can’t tell me what to do, Nicole. I get that you want to protect me, but I am not a damsel in distress. You’re like a broken record,” she snatched the gun off the table and began to walk away.

“Jesus, Waverly, I’m not telling you what to do! But I’m not sure I can be a part of this anymore.”

Waverly paused, her back towards Nicole. “The train to Canada leaves tomorrow morning. If you decide to go with me I suggest you change your tune because I do not want to be stuck in a small space with this shit for seven days. But make no mistake, Nicole, I’m doing this with or without you.”

 

***

 

Waverly anxiously waited at the train station the following day. Every time someone passed her, every time someone walked in, she desperately hoped it would be Nicole. It was ten minutes until boarding and there was still no sign of her. The guilt was weighing heavily on the young woman, as if it were physically pressing her into the wooden bench. Then, the worried thoughts hit her all at once. _What if she doesn’t find the note and money? What if I didn’t leave her enough? What if something happens to her on the way back? I was so mean to her. She just wanted to keep me safe, that’s all she’s ever wanted. Can you really be angry at someone for that? She means well, she always has. And this is something we could work on. I just haven’t approached it the right way. Oh, God, what if I can never make this right? What if I ruin everything?_ An announcement over the loud speaker broke her tangent. Her train had arrived. Waverly stood abruptly, scanning the area once more for her absent counterpart. “It’s too late now, Waverly. Just have to keep going,” she sighed to herself as she proceeded to the boarding area.

 

***

 

Four days and several layovers and train changes later, Waverly had arrived in British Columbia. She was now tucked away in the last row of the mostly deserted first class car as she awaited her exodus from yet another station. Save for an elderly woman near the front who was already lightly snoring, she was the only soul in sight. _I guess travelling halfway across Canada in the middle of winter isn’t on a lot of folks’ bucket list_ , she mused to herself. Hopes of seeing Nicole again had long faded and the petite woman had resigned to the fact that she would be continuing her journey solo. As the train began to rumble in preparation for its departure Waverly decided to take a note from the slumbering stranger, tilting her head back and shutting her eyes tightly.

Of course, as soon as she did, the ticket attendant began making his rounds. She presented her ticket and the young man kindly informed her that it included a private bedroom cabin located in the next car. She thanked him and resumed her resting position, figuring the car was quiet enough for the time being and there was no need to relocate just yet.

The train began to rock gently as it picked up speed, accompanied by shrill whistling and the deep growl of the heavy equipment in motion. There was another sound, though, something that didn’t belong in the locomotive symphony she had grown accustomed to. _It’s just the wind_ , she assured herself, keeping her eyes closed. Then it happened again, and again after that. It sounded like someone was yelling. Waverly attempted to look out the window but the steam shrouded the surroundings. “Wait!” a voice called out frantically, followed by a loud crash as the side door flung open hitting the panel behind it and causing the ticket attendant to jump into one of the plush seats.

“Nicole!” Waverly cried, popping up from her seat. She was briefly amazed that the elderly woman was still asleep and hoped she wasn’t dead. Her concern quickly refocused itself on the huffing redhead dressed in knee high leather boots and a thick bomber jacket hunched over and trying to catch her breath.

“T-ticket?” the attendant stammered. Nicole pulled a wad of bills from her pocket and shoved them into the palm of the frightened man. He meekly handed her a ticket as she pushed past him and made her way to the shocked brunette, dropping a beat up paper bag on an empty seat as she proceeded.

“Nicole, I can’t believe…” Waverly was interrupted by Nicole’s lips pressing against her own. The kiss was heedless and passionate, and made Waverly’s knees buckle. Nicole released her only to pull her back in for a tight hug. Waverly looked up at her scarlet locked companion. “I can’t believe you’re here,” she smiled. “Also, why are you dressed like a pilot?”

Nicole chuckled. “It’s a long story, but I guess we have some time.”

“I know where we can talk,” Waverly grinned, picking up her purse with one hand and grasping her counterpart’s hand with the other as she began to lead her to the sleeper car. Nicole grabbed her belongings and followed.

Both women were surprised at how spacious the bedroom cabin was. It was complete with a bed on one side and two lounge chairs on the other. They sat near each other on the bed, hands clasped together. “So, explain the getup,” Waverly prompted, simultaneously amused and galvanized by the new look.

“Oh, ha, right. Well, I had to take a plane to get here on time. But there aren’t really any airports yet, so I somehow found a training field where this woman pilot, who apparently is also an actress, was practicing for some race. She agreed to fly me. Ruth something?”

“Oh my God, Nicole, you flew with Ruth Elder?” Waverly’s jade eyes widened in awe.

“That’s her name! Yeah, and she gave me some of her clothes because of the weather and all. You know who she is?”

“Baby, she was a pioneer in aviation! How was the flight?”

“Um, pretty scary,” Nicole laughed, but her expression quickly grew serious as she brushed some loose strands of hair behind her ear. “Waves, I’m so sorry for everything. I only ever wanted to keep you safe, and I was, am, terrified of losing you. But I got caught up, and you’re right. You’re an adult. And I may not always agree with your decisions, but I will always support you. And I’d be honored to be by your side for as long as you’ll have me. I-I love you, Waverly,” Nicole’s voice quivered, tears brimming in her brown eyes.

“I love you, Nicole,” the brunette reciprocated, wet streaks already lining her face as she pounced on the officer. Both were relieved as the hostility between them evaporated into nothingness. “Thank you,” she whispered through Nicole’s hair into her ear. She pulled back and gazed into Nicole’s glossy eyes. “You chased down a train,” she chuckled wiping her face.

“I chased down a train. They, uh, they definitely don’t prepare you for that at the academy,” Nicole grinned, her infamous dimples making an appearance. She placed her hands on either side of Waverly’s face and drew her in for another kiss, innocent enough at first until the smaller woman slipped her tongue into Nicole’s mouth. Immediately both women began clumsily fumbling with the buttons of the other’s shirt.

Before long their discarded clothing was strewn about the cabin as they took advantage of the bed. Hands and mouths desperately invaded and claimed forbidden territories in the name of love and pleasure, still longing to somehow be closer to the other. As they neared the end of their conquest, Nicole’s long body moved rhythmically between Waverly’s legs, grinding her warm core into her lover’s. The redhead gently, but lustfully, caressed Waverly’s neck with her lips eliciting moans from the brunette which grew louder and more intense, neither of them caring who heard. Waverly alternated digging her nails into Nicole’s flesh and wringing her fingers in her hair. Their skin, sticky with perspiration, melded together. “Oh God, Nicole, I’m...I’m…” Waverly attempted to speak, her voice breathy and feeble.

Nicole cradled the crown of Waverly’s head with one hand, never breaking cadence as her own body began to tremble. “Me, too,” she managed to utter, resting her forehead on Waverly’s as they both released wild moans announcing their joint climax. Breathing heavily, Nicole rolled her body off and cuddled her girlfriend close as she lightly kissed her head.

The cacophony of the travelling train seemed muted and the world distant as the two lay entwined. “I’m so glad you’re with me,” Waverly said quietly.

“Always.”

 

***

 

A few more days of travel through the wintery Canadian terrain had led the pair to their final destination - the Monroe farmhouse in Pergatory. They both squirmed and fidgeted with nerves as Waverly explained the situation to the skeptical bastard of Wyatt Earp. “So you’re saying I have to shoot demons with this gun because I’m cursed?” The tall mustached man glared suspiciously at the strange women with the same steely eyes he’d inherited from his father as he paced across the living room holding Peacemaker.

“Between the eyes,” Waverly added. She shot Nicole a nervous glance, as they were still trying to gauge his ultimate response.

Arthur paused as he thumbed through the stack of photos and paperwork Waverly had provided. “And these are all of them? All 77?”

“Most of them. But you’ll know them when their eyes start glowing red,” the smaller woman replied.

“And you know all this how exactly?”

“It’s...um...a long, long story. I just hope you can take my word for it.” Waverly’s eyes were pleading with the man at this point.

Arthur snickered. “Take your word for it? Miss, I don’t even know you. And Wyatt Earp,” he forced the name through gritted teeth as he clenched his free fist, “is a self righteous son of a bitch. As far as I’m concerned, I have no father. This has nothing to do with me so I’m going to have to politely decline. No Earp name, no Earp curse,” he said, placing the gun on the table already occupied by Waverly’s research.

“This isn’t just about you!” Waverly contested as she heatedly rose from her seat. She was weary from the long trip and the now resolved argument with Nicole. The young woman had had enough and was not ready to accept “no” for an answer. “You’re an Earp whether you want to be or not! You may not have the name, but you have the blood. And I…” she looked painfully at Nicole as the words caught in her throat. “I may not have the blood, but I have the name,” she continued more assuredly as she moved towards the confused man, backing him against the door, “and I am an Earp! And you are a part of this family. You have the chance to do something that’s great, that’s larger than yourself!” Waverly punctuated her rally by poking her index finger into his chest. “Now get over your daddy issues and be a fucking man!” She retreated, picked up the gun and shoved it up against him.

Nicole’s smile radiated with pride for her girlfriend from across the small room. Arthur remained near the door, baffled yet overcome with an inexplicable acceptance that the young woman’s claims were true. His expression softened and he nodded. Just then, the whole house started to shake violently. Nicole immediately jumped up and took hold of Waverly. Arthur pulled the thin curtain aside as he struggled to keep his balance. The sky was tinted red.

“Wyatt’s dead,” the brunette remarked to her girlfriend. “Do you know Josiah Earp?” she questioned the man, raising her voice over the deep growl of the shaking earth. Arthur nodded frantically. “If something happens to you, he needs to get possession of that gun, understand?”

“I’ll make sure of it,” Arthur confirmed.

“Remember, between the eyes!” Waverly shouted, gripping her taller counterpart tightly as the room was washed out by a blazing white light.

 

 

The End.

 

 

 

 


End file.
